Chicken Tacos

This is not the first recipe I have tried for chicken, made in the slow cooker for tacos.  The first recipe I tried I was not overly impressed with.  This one however, exceeded my expectations.  It was incredibly moist and so very flavorful.  I will definitely be making this again and again.


Shredded Chicken for Tacos
Source:  Cooking Classy
Ingredients:
2.5 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3/4 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup Zesty Italian Salad dressing
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper, optional (adjust according to desired heat preference or omit)


Directions:
Place chicken breast halves in the slow cooker.  In a mixing bowl whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour mixture over chicken in slow cooker, cover slow cooker with lid. Cook chicken on low heat 6 - 8 hours. Shred chicken (it's so tender I usually just shred it in the slow cooker without even removing it), then cook shredded chicken in broth in slow cooker an additional 30 minutes on low. Drain broth from chicken. Serve warm in tacos, burritos, enchiladas, quesadillas, taquitos etc

Texas Sheet Cake Brownies

I love Texas Sheet Cake so when I saw this recipe on Six Sister's Stuff I was eager to try it.  I have to say that it was more cake-like than brownie-like, but either way it is scrumptious!  It is really moist and not too sweet.

Texas Sheet Cake Brownies
Source: Six Sister's Stuff


For one 17 1/2 x 11" baking pan (48 brownies), you well need:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup water
1/4 cup dark, unsweetened cocoa
1/2 cup buttermilk*
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Frosting:
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine
2 Tbsp dark cocoa
1/4 cup milk
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla

*If you don't have buttermilk, no worries! Mix 1/2 cup milk with 2 tsp vinegar or lemon juice. Let sit for a minute before adding to other ingredients.

Preparation:
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and the sugar.
2. In heavy saucepan, combine butter, shortening, water, and cocoa. Stir and heat to boiling.
3. Pour boiling mixture over the flour and sugar in the bowl. Add the buttermilk, eggs, baking soda, and vanilla.
4. Mix well using a wooden spoon or high speed on an electric mixer.
5. Pour into a well greased 17 1/2x11" pan (like a cookie sheet).
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes or until brownies test done in center.
7. While brownies bake, prepare the frosting. In a saucepan, combine the butter, cocoa, and milk. Heat to boiling, stirring.
8. Mix in the powdered sugar and vanilla until frosting is smooth (you may have to whisk it).
9. Pour warm frosting over brownies as soon as you take them out of the oven. Let cool. Cut into 48 bars.

Optional: Sprinkle chopped pecans or peanuts on top of the frosting.

S'mores Mini Pies

One thing I really love about the seasons is the foods that go with them.  Just as pumpkin makes you think of fall, s'mores scream summer!  


Eating s'mores makes me so happy.  I love the combination of chocolate, marshmallow and graham crackers.  While a s'more in it's pure form is truly amazing, I really love to experiment with all of the different s'more recipes I see all over the web.


These little pies are amazing!  They are crispy on the outside and chocolatey and gooey on the inside.  Exactly how a s'more should be.  They are best warm from the oven but they are also yummy at room temperature.


While these are definitely easy to make, they are a bit time consuming since you have to fill and fold one pie at a time.  You may be tempted to add extra filling but don't!  If you put in too much filling it will burst out of the pie as it bakes.


This is a recipe from Monster Mama, however the recipe below is my slightly adapted version. 


I also want to add that I used this fun little gadget to cut my dough circles and fold over my little pies.  But you can use anything with a circle shape to cut your dough.  A glass works well.  

S'mores Mini Pies


1 box Pillsbury refrigerated pie dough


Filling:
1/2 c marshmallow creme
2 tbsp cream cheese, soft
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 c choc chips


Crumb mix:
1/2 c graham crackers (about 8 cracker squares, finely crushed)
1/4 c sugar
3 tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.


Mix together ingredients for crumb mix and set aside.  Mix filling ingredients in a bowl.  


Cut dough into circles using a round cookie cutter or glass.  Brush both sides of dough circles with melted butter and dip in crumb mixture.  Place a scant tablespoon of filling in center of each round.  Fold dough in half and press with a fork to seal.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-12 minutes until brown.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake

Yesterday I went to a friend's house for our monthly crochet club get together.  My friend that hosted is an amazing cook and she made this for dessert.  Everyone was in heaven!  It was so delicious and so easy!  She found the recipe on Pinterest but it reminded me that I had actually made a cake like this a few years ago but I made it in a loaf pan.  I believe the recipe for the one I made came from a Kraft magazine.

I think the flavor combinations with this are endless.  You could vary the flavor of ice cream sandwiches, the sauce and/or syrup you layer it with and the topping.  My friend made it with regular ice cream sandwiches, caramel and toffee bits and it was fabulous.  I made it with regular ice cream sandwiches and Smucker's Milk Chocolate Sauce.  I think it would also be good with mint ice cream sandwiches and hot fudge or neapolitan sandwiches.

My friend made this with 24 sandwiches in a 9" x 13" pan.  I used 12 sandwiches and made it in an 8" x 8" pan.  Either works.

Ice Cream Sandwich Cake


24 ice cream sandwiches
1 jar hot fudge sauce (or any other ice cream topping)
8 oz. Cool Whip
Candy of your choice, chopped fine (toffee bits, snickers, butterfinger, chocolate chips, etc)

Place 12 ice cream sandwiches in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan, cutting as necessary to fit.  Top with half to Cool Whip and half the ice cream topping.  Place the remaining 12 ice cream sandwiches on top of the cool whip mixture.  Top with the rest of the cool whip and ice cream topping.  Sprinkle chopped candy over top.  Cover and freeze until ready to serve.

Just An Apology

So I logged on to blogger to look up my hamburger recipe and discovered that my main page (don't know what the technical name for it) was completely different.  So as I'm trying to navigate my way through it to find out how to get to my blog I see that there are 39 comments waiting for my approval.  WHAT??!!  How did that happen??  Anyway, I discovered I had it set to always wait for moderation of comments before posting them.

So I feel horrible!  Horrible that people took the time to write a comment that I never even knew existed!  Sorry, fairly new blogger here.  I had no idea that so many people were even reading my blog, let alone commenting!  I am so humbled and appreciative.  I have changed my settings so that hopefully the comments will show up immediately (and you won't even have to type in that funny word).  I am also going to be working hard to get some new posts up in the next couple weeks.

Thank you to everyone for taking the time to read my blog, and of course for all of your wonderful comments!  I hope you will continue to follow even though I appear to be quite the space cadet!

5-Minute Macaroni and Cheese

I made this a couple months ago and I loved it.  It was really easy and actually really good considering how fast it was to make.  The only thing I think I would change is to put less pepper than the recipe says.  I thought the pepper was a bit overbearing for my taste.  Otherwise this recipe has become a new staple for me!

5 Minute Homemade Macaroni and Cheese
Via: Picky Palate

1/2 pound cooked pasta of choice (I used small shells)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup whole milk (I used 2%)

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 

1. Place pasta, cheese, milk, salt and pepper into a microwave safe bowl. Stir to mix. Cover lightly with plastic wrap and microwave for 3 minutes. Stir and microwave for an additional 2 minutes. Stir until creamy and smooth. Serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings

Southwest Chicken Chili

This was a very easy and very tasty chili.  It makes quite a bit so if you don't have a lot of people to feed you could halve the recipe or freeze some of it.  It tastes great reheated!  I made a few changes to the recipe, which I noted in parenthesis.  Enjoy!

Southwest Chicken Chili
Source: In Katrina's Kitchen

Ingredients:

·        1 medium onion, chopped

·        2 Tablespoons olive oil

·        3 Tablespoons taco seasoning (1 envelope)

·        1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch dry mix

·        2 Cups water (I used chicken broth)

·        2 cans pinto beans, drained (I used one can of pinto and one can of black beans)

·        2 cans diced tomatoes

·        1 can chilies

·        2 Cups cubed or shredded chicken, cooked

·        Cilantro (to taste)

Directions:

1.   Sauté onions in olive oil in the bottom of a large pot until tender.

2.   Add remaining ingredients and heat through. Simmer for at least 30 minutes.